Beyer dithers on abstention on foreshore bill

By AUDREY YOUNG political editor

Anguished Wairarapa MP Georgina Beyer may be refused permission by her Labour colleagues to abstain in Parliament on the Foreshore and Seabed Bill.

And that may force her to rethink her position yet again if the pressure doesn't get to her first.

She told the caucus two weeks ago that while she, as a Maori, had great problems with the bill, she would support it because it was what her general constituents would want her to do.

Then at last week's caucus she said she wanted to abstain.

She is still torn with the pressure coming on from within the party to change her mind again.

"I have to say my conscience is not easy on this at all, still just from a Maori point of view.

"I am getting a very clear message from the party and my organisation around me that they are not happy with me and they want me to change my mind. That is clear."

Under Labour rules, MPs have to seek the permission of the caucus to abstain or vote against the party line.

The Prime Minister made it clear the caucus last Tuesday was expected to approve dissent from Maori electorate MPs Tariana Turia (Te Tai Hauauru) and Nanaia Mahuta (Tainui).

But Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen, chairing the caucus, was forced to stall for time after their refusal to seek permission, the possibility of Nanaia Mahuta as well as Mrs Turia resigning from Parliament, and the unexpected change by Georgina Beyer to abstain on the bill.

It is understood Helen Clark has little sympathy for approving Georgina Beyer's change of heart and is not alone.

Georgina Beyer's change of mind is being largely blamed - wrongly - for the stall and for forcing the minority Government to seek the support of New Zealand First over United Future.

Even if she had stuck with her decision to support the bill, the Government could not have relied on United Future for the passage of it if two of its own MPs were voting against it; that would have assured them of just 60 votes, not a majority in the 120-seat Parliament.

Georgina Beyer would like the consequences of going against caucus' wishes spelled out before deciding and would like to meet Helen Clark before the next caucus - not right now, though.

"I can imagine she is very, very angry and I feel badly about that."

Party president Mike Williams said the matter would become one for the party only if a disciplinary action were brought by the leader.

"The options then open to the party range from a whip on the buttocks with a feather duster to a slap over the wrists with a wet bus ticket."

An MP could be suspended, rather than expelled.

He could not remember the last time an MP was disciplined.

"At the end of the day, the discipline of the party is a non-reselection."

In Georgina Beyer's case that is irrelevant because she had announced her retirement.

Colleagues of hers believe she would not have afforded herself the luxury of an abstention had she been seeking reselection for the next election.

The foreshore legislation was introduced to Parliament on Thursday. It vests ownership of the foreshore and seabed in the Crown.